Top Tens

The year is near it's end as is the decade (sort of). As such we are being inundated with lists. Lists of the best music, movies, shows, and books. Last year I wrote out several different lists of shows and music but this year I see no reason to split it up into categories. This year more than any other I felt like everything bled into one another. Music, movies, concerts, and improv shows all seemed to exist on one long continuum where they all informed each other. Let us list.

3033/Middle Age Comeback:
My Sunday nights are pretty easy the last year. I know that no matter what I am doing I end up at iO by 10:30. I could try and explain how awesome MAC's puppet show was or the night they improvised a musical that at one point tried to figure the differences in Chicagoland suburbs (I can still sing the chorus that was all about Shaumburg). Jim and Craig work harder than any other two people on stage and deliver the highest energy show in town.

3033 is just better than you. They can deconstruct the entire form and it never comes off as pretentious or trite. Each member of the team is like some kind of improv specialist. My highlight of the year has to be watching the crowd explode as Alex Fendrich walked into a show halfway through and "fixed" every single scene. Rush Howell came up with seven different theme nights at The Star of Siam. I would love to go to a place that had a "Indian, Indian, Indian" night.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Twee to no end. But I would have to say it's the best movie I saw all year. Believe it or not it has the same plot as Avatar in a way and is a thousand times more heart felt and real. It made perfect sense that Wes Anderson made a stop motion film as his "real" movies have such a clear production design to them they almost exists in a little pocket universe that may have only existed in J.D. Salinger's mind.

Animal Collective
If I corner you at a party give me about five minutes and I will start extolling the virtues of Animal Collective. I am so fucking annoying about this band. But listen to "My Girls" wait for the base drop about three minutes in and it all makes sense. I managed to see them twice this year both in Chicago and in NYC and both times were different experiences. Each one special in its own way. They capped off the year with their EP "Fall Be Kind" and the second song on the album "What Would I Want, Sky?" feels like a summation of everything they have done before and a slight nod to the future. Also "Fireworks" may be the best song ever written.



Poor Choices and Our Extended Family
My weekends often feel longer than the rest of my entire week as of late. This is thanks to the ladies of Boner Petite', the gentleman of Gypsy Fuck Fight, and my partner in Poor Choices Matt Owens. What started out as a bitch session about not being into improv became a podcast that I fucking love. Is it lame to be a fan of your own stuff? Maybe? But I have never been more proud of something than our show. It has allowed me to meet so many amazing people and hopefully let you all know why they are so interesting.

When it started it was a goof. But I hope it has become something that lets people know how smart, interesting, and talented Chicago's improv community is. I am always inspired by people's stories about what brought them to town and continually impressed by the talent they posses. I want to thank every single guest we have had. But more importantly every single person that listens to the show. Be on the lookout for the Poor Choices Live Extravaganza and Ice Cream Social

The Poor Choices Show